Thai police rescue Japanese businessman who was held captive

BANGKOK – Thai police said they rescued a Japanese businessman who was held captive and tortured for days at a Bangkok apartment, and arrested three suspected compatriots believed to be responsible.

Thai media published images of the Friday police raid on the apartment where the victim was held captive with multiple leg wounds and apparently tied to a bed with electrical wire.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Suthee Nanekanthee, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said Friday that three Japanese men suspected to be involved have been arrested.

Suthee said the suspects and the victim had known each other before entering Thailand and that the ordeal may have been business related. He said the case was still under investigation.

The victim had been reported missing since Monday, Suthee said, adding that if police had conducted the rescue a few days later the victim, who was discovered in severely critical condition, would "certainly not have made it."